The 2020s have seen a dramatic shift in security best practices for the hospitality industry. COVID-19, high-profile tragedies, and new surveillance technology have made security a top-of-mind issue for many folks—especially when they travel. Today’s travelers are hyper-attuned to the safety of their hospitality environment, to the point where perceived “security deficiencies” are among the most common complaints on guest satisfaction surveys.
Hoteliers must keep their guests safe and ensure the environment is perceived as safe – that security services are conspicuous enough for guests to appreciate them. Many well-established best practices, such as surveillance cameras and staff security training, won’t be noticed by most guests. Since security guards are now common in retail, commercial, and educational spaces, guests could notice their absence from a hospitality environment. In other words, deploying well-trained and professionally dressed security guards may be the most fool-proof way to improve guests’ sense of security and peace of mind.
Let’s explore some reasons for this shift in guest expectations and how unarmed, armed, and patrolling security guards can improve security outcomes for your hospitality team.
Changing Security Environment
Crime and crime statistics are hot-button issues that shape perceptions of real-world security environments for American travelers. Whether or not a crime is likely at your hotel, guests can erroneously read the environment as “unsafe” based on fears and expectations set by the media and the prevailing culture.
Are those fears justified? Is crime on the rise?
According to the FBI’s national crime statistics, violent crime has been trending downward on a national level after seeing a dramatic spike during the COVID-19 pandemic. Property crime, on the other hand, has been increasing nationally since 2021. Based on the FBI’s data and our decades of experience in the security business, we know these national statistics can be misleading. Every city, neighborhood, and building has a unique security profile that demands different tools to safeguard people and property.
The perception of an increasingly unsafe environment is not limited to hotels and hospitality—consumers now expect more public spaces to post security guards at access points. Most event spaces, hospitals, and construction sites feature at least some security presence on-site. Depending on the security profile of the site in question, deploying guards could be a reaction to legitimate threats in the area or may simply provide peace of mind to folks on-site, regardless of actual threat levels.
Guest Expectations
The key takeaway from this article is that guests’ perception of a hotel’s safety is almost as important for profitable operations as their actual level of security. Local crime statistics and your staff’s experience may give you peace of mind knowing the site is secure, but guests visiting from more security-forward parts of the country may not be so at ease.
The COVID-19 pandemic made travelers aware, on a moment-to-moment basis, of the safety threats inherent to hotels and public spaces. Even with the pandemic behind us, the change in public perception persists. Folks are now keenly aware of their safety and look to service providers to address common health, safety, and security concerns in public spaces.
Hoteliers know that most guests will not notice some of the best practices for ensuring security on-site. Building a culture of security amongst your staff will improve actual safety outcomes, but it may not be enough for guests to feel like their security needs are being met. When in doubt, hotel owners and hospitality leaders should consider deploying experienced security guards to access points to improve guests’ peace of mind.
Technology & Access Control
Currently, more than half of US households use home surveillance technology like mounted cameras and door alarms. Recent advancements have made this technology more accessible and affordable than ever before, allowing most folks to install door cameras, for example, without any professional assistance. This has made the public more aware of their security in everyday life.
When people travel, attend events, or conduct business at remote job sites, they are more aware of safety and security mechanisms than ever before. Guests will likely notice if your entryways lack modern locks or cameras. Unfortunately, the best cameras and sensor systems are often discreet; if they are not out in the open, guests may wrongly assume your hotel does not have adequate security.
Placing security guards at main entrances and lobbies is a clear, unambiguous way to safeguard your guests and their property. Trained security personnel effectively enforce access control and provide guests peace of mind. Moreover, their visible presence assures guests that your hotel takes security seriously and has invested resources to ensure trained security experts are available on site.
Contact The Guard Alliance
For over a decade, The Guard Alliance has been proud to provide security and fire watch guard services for hotels, motels, and other hospitality businesses. We offer customized pricing for each deployment, so you can be sure you’re getting the best hourly rates for your facility.
Our guards are some of the best-trained and most experienced in the industry, bringing the tools and tactics needed to give your guests the peace of mind they are looking for. Contact our sales team to get started with a free quote. Our guards deploy within hours in most major cities, so if you need security guards on-site today, The Guard Alliance is ready to answer the call.
